Hymns

Resembling looming rain clouds on a stormy day, dark lanes of dust crisscross the giant elliptical galaxy Centaurus A.
Hubble's panchromatic vision, stretching from ultraviolet through near-infrared wavelengths, reveals the vibrant glow of young, blue star clusters and a glimpse into regions normally obscured by the dust.
The warped shape of Centaurus A's disk of gas and dust is evidence for a past collision and merger with another galaxy. The resulting shockwaves cause hydrogen gas clouds to compress, triggering a firestorm of new star formation. These are visible in the red patches in this Hubble close-up.
At a distance of just over 11 million light-years, Centaurus A contains the closest active galactic nucleus to Earth. The center is home for a supermassive black hole that ejects jets of high-speed gas into space, but neither the supermassive black hole or the jets are visible in this image.

Good morning, beloved,

I’m sure I’ve talked here about my hymn. These past weeks I’ve been teaching it to my children. And last night before I went to bed, I needed to hear them sing it to me. And they did. They giggled a bit…at first, until they came to these verses…

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, over troubled sea,
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.

I’ve given you the history of this hymn and I’ve played it for you…may I suggest if you have young children in your life, please don’t let the opportunity slide by to teach them the history of our music tradition in hymns. You will get, oh, this is boring. Oh, this is doesn’t relate to me..blah, blah. Yet, then, in a few days, you will find your eldest singing the hymn you have taught him. Then you catch his eye and share a grin and find, yes, this is worth it.

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

Or my toe head pulling weeds singing at the top of his lungs the chorus..His sister dancing. You won’t regret it, friends. Find some kids, if you don’t have any in your home. Teach in your Sunday School. Okay…I’m getting off my pedestal. Well…wait..

I couldn’t resist 🙂 How we need YOUR power!!! Who needs caffeine? 😉 Well, um…

I left Thomas questioning at the Passover table. And we’ve walked through Easter together…so now, we find ourselves in John 20

24But Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.

25So the other disciples kept telling him, We have seen the Lord! But he said to them, Unless I see in His hands the marks made by the nails and put my finger into the nail prints, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe [it].

26Eight days later His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, though they were behind closed doors, and stood among them and said, Peace to you!

27Then He said to Thomas, Reach out your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place [it] in My side. Do not be faithless and incredulous, but [stop your unbelief and] believe!

28Thomas answered Him, My Lord and my God!

29Jesus said to him, Because you have seen Me, Thomas, do you now believe (trust, have faith)? Blessed and happy and [c]to be envied are those who have never seen Me and yet have believed and adhered to and trusted and relied on Me.

30There are also many other signs and miracles which Jesus performed in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book.

31But these are written (recorded) in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of God, and that through believing and cleaving to and trusting and relying upon Him you may have life through (in) His name [[d]through Who He is].

Peace–

4) of the Messiah’s peace
a) the way that leads to peace (salvation)
5) of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is
6) the blessed state of devout and upright men after death

Believe-

1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in
a) of the thing believed
1) to credit, have confidence
b) in a moral or religious reference
1) used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul
2) to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith
3) mere acknowledgment of some fact or event: intellectual faith
2) to entrust a thing to one, i.e. his fidelity
a) to be intrusted with a thing

Beloved, please pay close attention to this verse!!

29Jesus said to him, Because you have seen Me, Thomas, do you now believe (trust, have faith)? Blessed and happy and [c]to be envied are those who have never seen Me and yet have believed and adhered to and trusted and relied on Me.

Do you know whom Jesus is reaching? You and me.  Blessed are we.

Pray on friends. Pray on.